Stem Cell Niche Interactions

Organizer(s): Markus Grompe and Margaret A. Goodell

Supported by the Directors' Fund

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Summary of Meeting:

Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent precursors able to differentiate into the many cell types of the body. Adult or tissue stem cells are undifferentiated but lineage specific precursor cells able to proliferate long term while producing daughters that maintain the undifferentiated state (self-renew) and daughters that differentiate into specific cell types. In addition to their intrinsic interest for developmental biology, both kinds of stem cells have great promise for tissue renewal and regenerative medicine. Much has been learned in the past year about the mechanisms that maintain and induce stem cell pluripotency, the mechanisms that control differentiation, and the molecular regulation of stemness and self-renewal. Interactions between stem cells and their niches regulate self-renewal versus differentiation of adult stem cells and key signals from surrounding cells may organize fate decisions in space and time to pattern early embryonic development and differentiation of specific cell types. Understanding of the fundamental biology of embryonic and adult stem cells is being translated into development of “artificial niches” and conditions for controlling cell proliferation and differentiation. This meeting will bring together stem cell scientists from diverse model systems and backgrounds. All career levels will be represented. Current opportunities and challenges in the field will be highlighted in an atmosphere of informal exchange, facilitating new ideas and collaborations towards meeting the next great challenges in the field.

Scholarship Deadline: December 22 2008

Discounted Abstract Deadline: December 22 2008

Abstract Deadline: January 26 2009

Discounted Registration Deadline: February 23 2009

Late Abstracts

We gratefully acknowledge additional support for this conference from:

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We gratefully acknowledge the generous grant for this conference provided by:

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Grant No. 1R13HD061141-01

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Special thanks to the following for their support of Keystone Symposia initiatives to increase participation at this meeting by scientists from underrepresented backgrounds:

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